No Jekyll, all Hyde!

With widespread electric cars, and in some cases legislation outlawing the sale of new gas-powered cars on the horizon, FCA’s Hellcat-powered vehicles can be regarded as a bit of a going-out party for internal combustion. And what a party it’s been. Starting with the 707-horsepower Charger SRT Hellcat and Challenger SRT Hellcat in 2015, the Hellcat lineage has since birthed the wheelie-popping Challenger SRT Demon, the berzerk Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, the grip-enhanced Challenger SRT Widebody and the family-friendly Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk. Now for 2020, Dodge is turning up the party even further with it’s latest kegstand in the name of American muscle, making the Charger SRT Hellcat wider.

How much wider? A full 3.5 inches wider with aggressive flares that are fully necessary to fit 305-section Pirelli P Zero tires on standard 20×11-inch ultra-concave forged aluminum alloy wheels at all four corners. A new front bumper with significantly larger lower grilles and an extra air intake add even more visual punch, while wider side skirts visually plant the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody further into the ground and a new rear bumper packs larger vents and a more aggressive diffuser element. Topping off the visual package are a new rear spoiler and new two-piece satin chrome Hellcat fender badges. Optional wheels include a gloss grey deep dish design and an ultra-concave “Brass Monkey” design, both in 20×11-inch sizes. It’s safe to say that Dodge’s full-size sedan has gone full aggro.

On the inside, Dodge has turned up the luxury. The dashboard and doors get standard French-stitched accents, extra soft-touch surfaces and a new black and red SRT Hellcat instrument panel badge. Heated and ventilated Laguna leather front seats are standard, while available leather interior colour options include black, black and sepia and black and Demonic Red. Black seats with black Alcantara inserts are also available, along with an Alcantara steering wheel. Newly optional for 2020 is the Carbon & Suede package which adds carbon fibre trim and a sueded headliner, visors and a-pillar trims.

In terms of performance, horsepower and torque figures for the 2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat Widebody remain unchanged at 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. What really matters though is the extra grip afforded by the 305-section tires. Dodge’s top sedan can now sprint to 60 MPH in just 3.6 seconds and runs the quarter mile in 10.96 seconds at 125 MPH. Those tires, along with a revised suspension system, also help it generate 0.96g of lateral grip and, in conjunction with two-piece front rotors, six-piston Brembo front calipers and four-piston Brembo rear calipers, help this big sedan stop from 60 MPH in 107 feet. Proper weapons-grade numbers for a full-size sedan. In addition, the Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody also offers plenty of performance technology including Race Cooldown Mode, Line Lock, Launch Control and Launch Assist, the latter of which can prevent damaging wheel hop by momentarily reducing torque.

Pricing for the 2020 Dodge Charger Hellcat Widebody has not yet been announced. Expect it to be made available when order books open this fall. Deliveries are expected to start in early 2020, although owners should be advised that it could be more than a little hair-raising piloting this steroidal sedan home from the dealership in Canadian winter conditions.